Ecosystem changes and community wellbeing: social-ecological innovations in enhancing resilience of wetlands communities in Bangladesh

Shahidullah, A.K.M.; Choudhury, Mahed-Ul-Islam; Haque, C. Emdad

doi:10.1080/13549839.2020.1849077

Cited by 14 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…Such external innovations were found to be consistent with local innovations, knowledge and aspirations. In the context of haor communities in Bangladesh, Shahidullah et al (2020) and Choudhury et al's study (2019) also found that external innovation can enhance resilience if aligned with local skills and knowledge (see left hand side of SLD Framework in Figure 1).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

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Social learning, innovative adaptation and community resilience to disasters: the case of flash floods in Bangladesh

Haque

Azad

Choudhury

2022

DPM

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PurposeExisting literature on how social learning stemming from flood experience influences management and adaptation to flood-risks, and resilience-building is scant. In this context, the purpose of this study is to map the processes and examine the application of social learning in formulating coping measures and adaptation strategies in Bangladesh's wetland communities.Design/methodology/approachTo bridge this research gap, conceptually, we formulated the Social Learning from Disasters (SLD) Framework to explain the process of social learning from flood experience and the mechanism of its influence on community resilience. Applying a qualitative research approach, the empirical investigation was carried out in the Fenarbak Union of Sunamganj District, Bangladesh. Using a participatory approach and qualitative techniques, the required primary data were procured.FindingsThe results of the study yielded three key findings: (1) social learning and memory have often enabled wetland communities to adopt diverse coping and adaptive measures in response to flash floods; (2) social learning-based actions have resulted in reduced flood-risk and enhanced community resilience to flash floods, especially when these actions were supported by both local and external innovations and (3) the aforementioned social learning stemmed primarily from first-hand experience of flash floods, which was shared via various collective learning platforms.Research limitations/implicationsThe study followed a participatory methodology and the data were procured from two communities in the union level unit of Bangladesh. Therefore, generalization to apply to the larger context should be made with caution. Also, the study represents a cross-sectional study, and thus understanding of the long-term trend is not possible.Practical implicationsThe findings of the study have direct and profound implications for local community-level disaster-risk planning. As there are serious deficiencies in documenting and preserving social learning for community resilience and development planning, this study offers a conceptual framework, along with empirical evidence, for transforming these lessons learned into practical actions for change.Social implicationsThe findings of the study highlight the importance of social learning as a collective effort and provide empirical evidence of innovative adaptations to change. These results are critical to formulating societal strategies for disaster-risk management as well as to enhance community resilience.Originality/valueLimited efforts have hitherto been made to determine (1) how the actual process of social learning from disaster shocks takes place, and (2) how innovative adaptation strategies lead vulnerable communities to take up social learning-based actions. Our research attempts to fill these knowledge gaps by providing an evidence-based account of community resilience-building responses to flash flood disasters.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social learning, innovative adaptation and community resilience to disasters: the case of flash floods in Bangladesh

Haque

Azad

Choudhury

2022

DPM

Self Cite

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“…Moreover, resilience at the community level is shaped by drivers and processes at multiple scales and levels (Angeler et al, 2016;Berkes & Ross, 2016;Shahidullah et al, 2020).…”

Section: List Of Tables Chapter Onementioning

confidence: 99%

“…For the purpose of my research, I focused on a place-based community as resilience applies best to such communities . I define place-based community as a group of people living in a delineated geographical area and dependent on local ecosystem services for livelihoods, and who are likely to be affected by environmental hazards specific to that locality (e.g., cyclones and associated storm surges in the coastal areas) Shahidullah, Choudhury, & Haque, 2020). A community is composed of people with multiple and often competing interests, livelihoods, and ideologies.…”

Section: Multi-level Learning and Place-based Community Resilience To Disaster-shocksmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, place-based communities are not isolated entities. The resilience of local communities is shaped by drivers at multiple scales and levels (Berkes & Ross, 2016;Shahidullah et al, 2020). Managing disasters at the local level requires attention to multiple levels of analysis as well as interactions with other scales (e.g., spatial and temporal).…”

Section: Multi-level Learning and Place-based Community Resilience To Disaster-shocksmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Adaptive governance and community resilience to cyclones in coastal Bangladesh: Addressing the problem of fit, social learning, and institutional collaboration

Choudhury

Haque

Doberstein

2021

Environmental Science & Policy

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A bibliographic review of the relationship between ecosystem services and human well-being

Zhou,

Huang,

et al. 2024

Environ Dev Sustain

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Ecosystem changes and community wellbeing: social-ecological innovations in enhancing resilience of wetlands communities in Bangladesh

Cited by 14 publications

References 57 publications

Social learning, innovative adaptation and community resilience to disasters: the case of flash floods in Bangladesh

Social learning, innovative adaptation and community resilience to disasters: the case of flash floods in Bangladesh

Adaptive governance and community resilience to cyclones in coastal Bangladesh: Addressing the problem of fit, social learning, and institutional collaboration

A bibliographic review of the relationship between ecosystem services and human well-being

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